Street marker



Oct. 6, 1931. L. A. JOHNSON 1,825,667

STREET MARKER Griginal Filed Dec. 12, 1928 IN V EN TOR.

m 22 114' ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 6, 1931 uni-TED STA PATENT c rr es LAURENCE aennson, orKANSAS-C3122, MISSOURI STREET MARKER Applicationifiled December, 12',1928, Serial No. 325,464; Renewed august 21, 1931.

My invention relates to improvements in street markers.

One of the objects of my inventionis to provide a novel streetmarker'which issimple, cheap, strong, durable, not likely to get outotorder, which is easily and quickly placed in its operative position,which will clearly indicate the names of the streets at anintersection'thereof, which will not form an obstruction to traffic,nor'injureor' be inj ured by-being struckby vehicles, and which isefiicient in operation.

The novel features ofmy invention are hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings, whichillust'rate' the preferred embodimentofmy invention.

1* is aside elevation of my improved street -marker;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview ofthe same shown'mounted' in apavement.

Fig: 3 is an under view of the street indicatingmember;

Fig. 4' is a top view ot the-receptacle, with i the indicating member,stop plates and sealing means removed.

Fig; 5 is a perspective; view of one-of the stop plates. Y V

is a reduced plan. viewofthe street marker.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the differentviews.

improved street markeris provided with'ra housing, comprising an opentopped receptacle 1 adapted to beembedded in the pavement 2 atastreetintersection, and limiting means, preferably comprising aplurality of horizontal stop plates 3 fastened by bolts 4 to the upperside of an outwardly laterally extending peripheral flange 5 of drainhole 8 in the pavement 2, which holes provide means for draining thereceptacle,

inv case water enters it; Y

The stop plates3 may be each provided with lettering on itsupper side,such as St. or Ave, which lettering co-operate s with lettered plates 9mounted in the four upwardly converging outer walls 10 of a dome shapedtraflic button comprising a street indicating member 1 1., which isvertically movablein the receptacle 1, andv which is provided at itslower end and outer'periphery with an annular flange 12. w

Embracing theouter sideiof the indicating member 11 and resting on theflange 12 is: a sealing means comprising, preferably, a resilientgasket, such assoft rubber, orrubber impregnated fabric, 13', whichgasket is adapted when: the indicatingmember 11 is in the raisedposition, shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2, to bear against theunder sides of the stop plates '3, and against the inner sides of thearcuate flanges 6. This sealing means? prevents water entering. thereceptacle 1 between the arcuate flanges 6 and theimember 11:, whenthe-latter is raised to its. highest'po'sition, the=stop plates3comprising a detachablevretaining ring limiting theupward movement oftlie'member 11 and forming with-: the bolts 4 means operable fromtheisurface of the roadway without re-' moving. the housing 1,for-securing the member il in the housing;

Means for'normally forcing the member 11 to-the raised: position,-preferably comprises four-coil'springs M, theupper ends of whichrespectively have inserted into them. down ward ly' extending pins 15 ontheunder side of the member 11,.against which the springs 14 bean,The-lower endsof. the springs 14 bearon the. bottom of the receptacle 1and respectively encircle iour'upwardly extend. ing pins 116 on theupper side of the bottom of the receptaclel. 1 i

The indicating member 11' is adapted to be depressed, by a vehiclerunning'over the same, to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2,in which position the flat top portionof the member "l l i'slevel withthe upper edges of the flanges-ti; V I

For supporting-themember 11 in the position to which it is depressed bya vehicle, supporting means are provided comprising, preferably,Vertically disposed wooden blocks 1'7, key stone shaped in crosssection, arranged in a ring around the springs 14, and having theirlower ends supported on the upper side of the bottom of thereceptacle 1. Said wooden blocks 17 are closely wedged together, asshown, and preferably disposed with the grain of the wood runningvertically. They provide a resilient support for the member 11 111 itsdepressed position, and thus reduce noise and liability of breakage.

At the outer side of the blocks 17 and around the inner side walls ofthe receptacle 1, is disposed a lining 18, preferably oil cloth orsmooth sheet metal against which the flange 12 of the indicating member11 is adapted to slide in its vertical movement. The member 11 issufficiently loosely fitted in said receptacle 1 as to be tiltable intwo directions at angles to each other, so that when a vehicle wheelstrikes any one of its inclined outer walls 10, the member 11 will tiltand will first be depressed on the side struck, after which the member,when the wheel of the vehicle is on the top portion thereof, will beforced downwardly until the lower end rests on the upper ends of theblocks 17.

After the vehicle has passed off from the member 11, the springs 14 willforce the latter again to its uppermost position, in which position thestreet name plates 9 will be above the pavement 2, and will be visibleto approaching drivers.

To prevent the member 11 turning in the receptacle 1, so as to displacethe name plates 9 from their proper indicating positions, the inner wallof the receptacle 1 and the outer edge of the flange 12 are other thancircular.

The inner side walls of the receptacle, in the form shown, are arcuate,but the arcs are struck from different centers. The outer edges of theflange 12 of the member 11 conform in shape to the said inner walls ofthe receptacle, so that the member 11 will not be accidentally revolvedin the receptacle so as to become displaced from its proper position.

The stop plates 3 are duplicates of each other, in shape, so that theywill be interchangeable. The lettering on their upper sides is such, ofcourse, as will indicate whether the thoroughfare indicated is a street,road or avenue. By having the stop plates 3 independently attachable toand detachable from the housing 1, any one of said stop plates may beremoved and another having different street indicating means substitutedtherefor, without interfering with the other stop plates or releasingthe traffic button 11.

In the operation of the marker, a driver approaching in either directionon either of the intersecting streets, can read on the let tered plates9 the name of the street which he is nearing.

When a vehicle Wheel strikes the near side of the member 11, that sidewill be depressed, following which, when the wheel reaches the top partof the member, the latter will be de-- to be embedded in the pavement ata street intersection, a member vertically movable and sufficientlyloosely fitted in said housing as to be tiltable therein in twodirections at angles to each other and depressible by :1 vehicle from araised position projecting above said pavement, resilient means in saidhousing firmly supporting said member in the de pressed position, andmeans for normally forcing said member to the raised position.

2. In a street marker, a receptacle adapted to be embedded in thepavement at a street intersection and having an open top, one or morestop plates mounted on the upper end of said receptacle and projectinginwardly at the periphery of said open top, each stop plate havingthereon a name denoting the character of the adjacent thoroughfare, amember having street indicating means rcspectively co-operating withsaid names on said plates and vertically movable in and sufficientlyloosely fitted in said receptacle as to be tiltable in two directions atangles to each other and depressible by a vehicle from a raised positionprojecting above said pavement, and limited in its upward movement 1 bysaid stop plate or plates, means in said receptacle for supporting saidmember in the depressed position, and means for normally forcing saidmember to the raised position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LAURENCE A. JOHNSON.

